Aston Villa will compete with Chelsea and Manchester United for Real Sociedad winger Ander Barrenetxea this summer.
According to a report by TEAMtalk, Ander Barrenetxea is the subject of interest from Aston Villa. Unai Emery is the driving force behind the West Midlands club’s move for the 24-year-old Real Sociedad winger. However, the Basque outfit will stick to the asking price of €75 million, the value of his release clause, to sell the player, who has also emerged as a target for Chelsea and Manchester United.
Ander Barrenetxea has established himself as one of the best young prospects in La Liga since breaking into the first-team squad at Real Sociedad in December 2018. Born in Donostia-San Sebastian, the 24-year-old spent his formative years in the Basque Country, graduating from La Real’s youth division. Despite not delivering the goods as much as he would have liked, the Spaniard has drawn comparisons to Antoine Griezmann, a former Real Sociedad mainstay.
The Spanish winger has made nearly 250 appearances for Real Sociedad thus far while chipping in with 28 goals and 18 assists. Meanwhile, Barrenetxea’s progress has piqued the attention of several high-profile clubs, with Aston Villa, Chelsea and Manchester United among the prospective suitors vying for his signature.
Premier League move on the horizon?
Aston Villa will dip into the market for a wide attacker, as Unai Emery wants more quality on the flanks. The Villans have been over-dependent on Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins in the final third, forcing them to seek a wide attacking solution from the market. Several candidates, including Christos Tzolis, have thus emerged on Aston Villa’s wishlist, with Barrenetxea also a viable target.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s interest in Ander Barrenetxea makes sense. While Matheus Cunha has been excellent since arriving from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer, Michael Carrick needs an alternative to the Brazilian international as he prepares to take his team to the UEFA Champions League next season. So, bolstering squad depth is necessary, with the Spaniard being an option worth considering.
As for Chelsea, the Blues must return to the market for another left winger this summer, as Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens have failed to make their mark since arriving at Stamford Bridge last summer. Additionally, recent reports have linked the former with a move away from the club. That leaves the West London outfit without a reliable left winger, forcing them to turn their attention towards Barrenetxea.
Meanwhile, the report makes no mention of a possible asking price by Real Sociedad. However, with the 24-year-old Spanish winger having over four years remaining on his contract, La Real will not let him leave for a cost-price fee. That should lead to protracted discussions for a summer move if Chelsea and Manchester United ramp up their efforts to secure his services.